POSCO Future M Amplifies Production: Cathodes for One Million EVs Annually

POSCO Future M Co., housing the world's largest single factory for cathode manufacturing, boosts its production capacity, aiming to supply cathodes for up to one million electric vehicles (EVs) per year. Their single-crystal cathodes minimize fire risk and extend battery life.

POSCO Future M is further expanded its plant for single-crystal cathode, which is a key component in making batteries for EVs. The cathode plant is located in South Jeolla Province and is known as POSCO’s Gwangyang Steelworks. After the expansion, it is making about 230 tons of EV battery materials.

According to The Korea Economic Daily, the company, which has is formerly called POSCO Chemicals, can yield 90,000 tons of cathode per year, and now it can make more for thousands of EVs. The company processes cathodes in the plant under the heat of 900 degrees Celsius then they are baked at a rate of 56 kilograms every eight minutes.

“The factory is very busy,” an official of POSCO Future M said. “About 500 kilograms of cathode materials are used up within three days.”

It was revealed that in April this year, POSCO Future M started supplying its single-crystal cathodes to Ultium Cells LLC, which is a joint venture between General Motors Co. and LG Energy Solution Ltd. The single-crystal cathodes that it supplies can minimize fire risks during the process of charging and discharging, and this is what sets these materials apart from regular cathodes. Moreover, this component can extend the life span of batteries.

Finally, Energy Portal further noted that the use of single-crystal cathodes offers more advantages, including improving the stability of the batteries. POSCO Future M’s production capacity for cathodes has now exceeded 90%, which is an indication of high-quality manufacturing. In the future, the company is planning to increase its production capacity even more by additional 7.800 tons of single-crystal.

Photo by: Posco Future M Website